Dispensing device for flat dosage forms

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for storing and providing stacked film pockets ( 10 ) filled with film-type or laminar materials ( 1 ). Said materials, e.g. lamellae ( 1 ), are individually packed in thin film pockets ( 10 ) which are embodied in the form of primary packaging. Said film pockets ( 10 ) are stacked in a form of so-called secondary packaging ( 30 ) in a gauged manner, the secondary packaging ( 30 ) being a lamella dispenser. Said dispenser is provided with a mechanism ( 61 ) by which means the individual film pockets ( 10 ) are directly released. During said process, the film pockets ( 10 ) are automatically opened and the individual lamellae ( 1 ) are administered for consumption. The present invention enables a device to be created for storing and providing stacked film-type or laminar materials ( 1 ), said device storing said stacked materials ( 1 ) from the first to the last withdrawal without any significant change in the aromatic properties of the materials.

The invention relates to a device for storing and providing stacked filmpockets filled with film-type or laminar materials. The film pocketsconsist of at least one support film and at least one cover film. Atleast the larger of these films in terms of surface area has twoparallel side edges. The film-type or laminar material is enclosed in agas-tight and moisture-tight manner between the support film and thecover film. The support film, at least one edge lying transversely orobliquely with respect to the side edge, protrudes beyond the nearestedge of the cover film. The device comprises a housing which ispartitioned at least once and on whose lateral inner faces the sideedges of the stacked film pockets bear, while the edge of the supportfilm protruding beyond the edge of the associated cover film bears on afront inner face. The stacked film pockets are pressed withspring-loading against the upper inner face of the housing.

A container of this kind is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,897 A. Thefilm pockets are pushed out of the container by means of a finger pad.For this purpose, the housing has a suitably large, uncloseable opening.The user also has to separately open the removed film pocket in order tobe able to use the film-type or laminar material integrated in the filmpocket.

Moreover, an automatic sheet dispenser, for example for visiting cards,is known from WO 99/28211 A2. The sheet dispenser consists of acontainer provided with a lid. The container is filled with a stack ofindividual sheets of paper. The stack bears, via a support, on acompression spring which presses it against a transport rollerintegrated in the lid. Between the lid and the container, in the area ofthe transport roller, there is an ejection slit through which sheets orvisiting cards are ejected individually by means of a manually inducedrotation of the transport roller.

Furthermore, US-DES 371,723 discloses a container which is used forstoring and providing stacked film-type or laminar materials, forexample edible films. The film stack is introduced into the containervia a large partition separating the container at about the middle. Theprovision of the individual films is effected via a separate closableflap. The films are stacked directly on one another and are separatedfrom the environment only by the container with the two partitionsproviding only limited sealing. If the edible films tend to lose theiraroma or to dry out, they have to be consumed within a short time inorder to avoid their becoming inedible.

Therefore, the problem on which the present invention is based is thatof making available a device for storing and providing stacked film-typeor laminar materials, which device stores the stacked materials from thefirst to the last withdrawal without any appreciable change in theiraromatic properties.

This problem is solved by the features of the main claim. The front,upper area of the housing has two slits for separate ejection of theindividual film pocket parts, the film-type or laminar material beingejected with one of the two film pocket parts. A separating tool forseparating support film and cover film is arranged between the slits, onwhich tool the uppermost support film bears spatially in front of thefront edge of the cover film. Above the front half of the uppermost filmpocket, and bearing thereon, a transport element which is rotatableabout an axis of rotation and is at least approximately transverse withrespect to the side edges of the support film is arranged in a housingopening.

With this invention, the film-type or laminar materials are packaged atleast twice. The materials are, for example, lamellae whose surface areacorresponds approximately to that of an average thumbprint. The lamellaecontain a pharmaceutical active substance, for example. The lamellae areused, for example, by placing them on the tongue. The lamellae dissolvewithin a few seconds under the action of saliva. The active substance isreleased in the process.

To ensure that the often volatile active substances and/or aromaticsubstances contained in the lamellae are maintained until the time ofconsumption, they are sealed individually in thin film pockets acting asprimary packaging. The generally sensitive film pockets are accommodatedin stacked form in a so-called secondary packaging in a gauged manner.The secondary packaging is in this case a lamella dispenser. For thispurpose, it is equipped with a mechanism by which the individual filmpocket is directly released without direct finger contact. In thisprocess, the film pocket is automatically opened and the individuallamella is presented ready for consumption.

Further details of the invention are set out in the dependent claims andin the following description of a diagrammatically depicted illustrativeembodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1: film pocket in longitudinal section;

FIG. 2: plan view of FIG. 2 without cover film;

FIG. 3: secondary packaging in longitudinal section;

FIG. 4: secondary packaging from FIG. 3 with filling made ready;

FIG. 5: secondary packaging from FIG. 3 with last filling made ready.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a film pocket (10) with an inserted film-type orlaminar material (1). The latter, also called filling or lamella, is afilm, for example, which can contain a pharmaceutical active substance.The film pocket is also referred to as primary packaging.

The film pocket consists, for example, of two films between which thelamella (1) is inserted over its full surface area. The two films (11,12) are adhesively bonded, sealed, or the like, round the lamella (1),at a short spacing from the lamella edges. The lamella (1) consequentlylies in a gas-tight and moisture-tight hollow space. It adheres, forexample, to the cover film (12) more strongly than it does to thesupport film (11). For reasons of simplicity, the films (11, 12) in theillustrative embodiment are connected to one another, for example bymeans of an applied adhesive (13).

The support film (11) is a rectangular film whose length corresponds,for example, to twice its width. The lamella (1) is placed on thesupport film (11), see FIGS. 1 and 2. Around the lamella (1), thesupport film (11) is coated with adhesive (13), for example in a strippattern. The adhesive (13) does not come into contact with the lamella(1). The cover film (12), shown by a broken line in FIG. 2, is placedfirmly on the lamella (1) and the adhesive (13).

The cover film (12) here has the same width as the support film (11).However, it is shorter. Its for example semi-elliptical front edge (27)is offset rearward, e.g. by a few millimeters. Between the front edge(27) and the front portion (14) of the adhesive (13) there is a gap(21), see FIG. 1, extending about one third of the length. The films(11, 12) do not adhere to one another in this area.

As an alternative to the film pocket (10) shown in FIGS. 1-4, theprimary packaging can also consist of films which have a depression inthe contact area with the filling (1). A depression in just one film isalso conceivable. In both cases, the edge areas of the films then liewith their full surface area on one another, despite the insertedfilling (1), so that the height of the gap (21) becomes almostinfinitely small.

FIGS. 3-5 show a so-called secondary packaging (30) which on the onehand stores the film pockets (10) and on the other hand delivers themwhen required. In the process of delivering them, the film pocket (10)is opened in order to release the filling (1). This is done with the aidof a separating tool (55) arranged in the secondary packaging (30), anda transport roller (61). The transport roller (61) pushes the filmpocket (10) over the separating tool (55) which splits open the joinbetween the cover film (12) and the support film (11).

To be able to illustrate this opening or splitting operation clearly,the film pocket (10) in FIGS. 1-5 is shown in a simplified anddiagrammatic manner. The thicknesses of the films (11, 12) and of theadhesive (13) are shown very much enlarged in relation to the othergeometric film dimensions.

FIG. 3 shows a secondary packaging (30) in the form of a two-parthousing (31, 41) in which a stack (28) of film pockets (10) is inserted.The film pockets (10) lie oriented in the same direction on top of oneanother in the stack (28), with the cover film (12) facing upward. Onlythe uppermost film pocket (10) is shown in cross section in FIGS. 3-5.

The housing of the secondary packaging (30) here comprises, for example,a trough-shaped bottom part (41), and a top part (31) like a lid.Between both parts (31, 41) there is, for example, a horizontalpartition line (49). A leaf spring (51) and a rocker-type pressure plate(52) are arranged in the bottom part (41). The leaf spring (51),oriented over a wide area at least approximately parallel to the stack(28), is shown in FIGS. 3-5 with its left end rigidly fixed in thebottom part (41). The pressure plate (52) is articulated with play atthe free end of the leaf spring (51). For this purpose, the pressureplate (52) has an arm (53) which is, for example, oriented substantiallyperpendicular to the leaf spring (51) and which has a slit (54) forreceiving the leaf spring (51). The leaf spring (51), which springsupward when not loaded by the stack (28), is wider in the area betweenthe rigid fixing point (42) in the bottom part (41) and the slit (54)than it is in the area guided through the slit (54). This ensures that,when the secondary packaging (30) is almost empty, the pressure plate(52) does not accidentally migrate toward the fixing point (42).

The free end of the leaf spring (51) protruding from the slit (54) isbent downward so that, in the event of the secondary packaging (30)being refilled, the leaf spring (51) does not come unhinged. Instead ofthe bend, the leaf spring (51) can be provided with a ring or arolled-up end, a split, or some comparable arrangement. If appropriate,the leaf spring (51) can be designed as a component with a large surfacearea, so that it can also take over the function of the then omittedpressure plate (52).

In the lower area of the bottom part (41), on both sides alongside theleaf spring (51), bridges (46, 47) or shoulders e.g. are unformed,which, at least when the secondary packaging (30) is completely filled,serve as a support for the stack (28) and the pressure plate (52), cf.also FIG. 5.

The top part (31) in FIGS. 3-5 is shown, only by way of example, sittingon the bottom part (41) via a plane partition line (49). Both parts are,for example, interlocked, adhesively bonded or screwed etc. to oneanother in a releasable or non-releasable manner, depending on whetherre-filling of the secondary packaging (30) is intended or not.

In the top part (31), the transport roller (61) is arranged in a housingopening (34) roughly at the center. The transport roller (61) isoriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal extent of thefilm pockets (10) and at least approximately parallel to the surface ofthe uppermost film pocket (10). In the illustrative embodiment, thetransport roller (61) sits in the area of a housing shoulder. Thehigher-lying shoulder area (32) extends at least approximatelytangentially to the transport roller (61), while the lower-lyingshoulder area ends approximately at the height of the center of theroller. By means of this configuration, about a quarter of thecircumference of the transport roller protrudes from the contour of thetop part (31). The gap between the transport roller (61) and the housingopening (34) is so narrow that large particles of dirt cannot get intothe inside of the housing. If appropriate, this gap between thetransport roller (61) and the housing opening (34) is closed off by asuitable seal.

The transport roller (61) has a diameter which is at least twice asgreat as the wall thickness in the area of the housing opening (34). Forexample, it is several millimeters. The stack (28) is pressed againstthe transport roller (61) from underneath by means of the spring actionof the bending spring (51). The material used for the transport roller(61) is a plastic or a rubber mixture which, with the material of thecover film surface, forms a friction pairing which ensures a highcoefficient of static friction.

The transport roller (61) is shown here as a smooth cylindrical body.The cylinder surface can also be knurled or otherwise profiled. Forexample, the profile can have a nipple structure. Of course, thecylinder shape may also only be an imaginary envelope surface defined bya plurality of separate small wheels arranged next to one another on anaxle.

In the top part (31), bridges (36, 37) or housing shoulders are arrangedin front of and behind the transport roller (61). The respective upperfilm pocket (10) bears against these. The surfaces with which thebridges (36, 37) make contact with the film pocket. (10) extend, atleast in parts, tangentially to the surface of the transport roller(61). The bridges (36, 37) ensure a planar, tangential bearing of theuppermost film pocket (10) on the transport roller (61).

The housing (31, 41) has two slits (35) and (45) in the area of itsfront wall (33). Both slits (35, 45) are here oriented transversely withrespect to the longitudinal extent of the film pockets (10). They areintegrated only by way of example in the top part (31).

The lower slit (45) serves for ejection of the support film (11). It ispositioned in the top part (31) directly in front of the front edge (17)of the support film (11). Its width and height are each slightly greaterthan the respective width and thickness dimensions of the support film(11).

Above the lower slit (45), a straight blade (55), for example, isarranged as a separating tool in the top part (31). The blade (55) issecured in the top part (31) by, for example, being partiallyencapsulated or being bonded into place. It protrudes into the inside ofthe housing at, for example, a 30° angle with respect to the horizontalor to the plane surface of the support film (11). The depth of itsinsertion is chosen so that the cutting edge (56) of the blade (55), cf.FIG. 4, ends directly in front of the frontmost point of the front edge(27) of the cover film (12). The for example beveled cutting flank (57)of the blade (55) serves as a front, upper bearing for the uppermostsupport film (11).

Above the blade (55), the upper slit (35) extends, for example, parallelto said blade (55). The cover film (12) is guided out of the secondarypackaging (30) through this slit (35). The slit height chosen is sogreat that the cover film (12) and the filling (1) adhering to it passthrough it without any problem.

Both slits (35, 45) can be closed off with, for example, in each case atleast one sealing lip. A sealing lip, if used, can be arranged, forexample, at an acute angle with respect to the film (11, 12) to bepushed out. At an angle below 45°, the film (11, 12) can push thesealing lip aside without any problem in order to open it.

To release the filling (1) of the uppermost film pocket (10), the useractuates the transport roller (61) in the counterclockwise direction.The transport roller (61) pushes the film pocket (10) toward the slits(35, 45), cf. also FIG. 4. The front edge (27) of the cover film (12)slides along the back (58) of the blade and through the slit (35) to theoutside. In this first movement, the force that has to be applied isvery low because, in the front area of the film pocket (10), that is tosay the gap (21) according to FIG. 1, the films (11, 12) lie on oneanother without adhering. Only when the front portion (14) of theadhesive (13) reaches the cutting edge (57) does the separating workhave to be performed. By then, however, the films (11, 12) alreadyprotrude many millimeters from the secondary packaging (30), cf. FIGS. 4and 5, so that the force needed for separating the films (11, 12) canalso be applied by pulling out one of the two films (11, 12). It ispulled out using the fingers. The respective other film (11) or (12) ispushed out from its corresponding slit (35) or (45) until both films(11, 12) are completely separated. This final separation takes placeonly at the rear edge of the film pocket (10), since the adhesive (13)connecting the two films (11, 12) reaches as far as that point.

If so required, in order to permit easier detachment of the filling (1)or lamella (1) from the cover film (12), the latter, as it is beingpulled out, can be drawn rearward in the direction of the transportroller (61), cf. FIG. 5. The inherent stiffness of the lamella (1)suffices to permit lifting from the cover film. To ensure that the coverfilm (12) does not start to tear in this process, the transition betweenthe upper slit (35) and the upwardly facing housing part of the top part(31) is rounded.

To avoid incorrect use by turning the transport roller (61) in theclockwise direction, a rotation block can be provided between thetransport roller (61) and the housing (31) by means of adirection-blocking mechanism.

To reduce the separating force for separating the two films (11, 12),the separating tool (55) can also be arranged obliquely with respect tothe longitudinal extent of the film pocket (10). If appropriate, acurved blade, for example a backswept blade, can also be used.

The separating action of the separating tool (55) does not have to bebased on a cutting process. The connection between the films (11, 12)can also be broken by simply forcing them apart by means of a bluntseparating tool (55). For this purpose, the corresponding separatingtool only has to be able to lift the film (12) from the film (11) at thestart of the separating process.

Depending on the shape of the housing (31, 41), the slits (35, 45) canalso have a curved or backswept configuration. If appropriate, forexample, a slit (35, 45) can also be oriented obliquely with respect tothe longitudinal extent of the film pockets (10).

Of course, the lamella (1) inside the film pocket (10) can, ifappropriate, also adhere more strongly to the support film (11) than tothe cover film (12). The lamella (1) can then be removed from the lowerslit (45). For this case, the slits (35, 45) may have to be given newdimensions.

During delivery of the films (11, 12) from the slits (35, 45), the stack(28) in the secondary packaging (30) migrates upward under the action ofthe bending spring or leaf spring (51). The now uppermost film pocket(10) bears on the transport roller (61). A new removal procedure can bestarted.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   1 film-type or laminar material, filling, lamella-   10 film pocket, primary packaging-   11 support film-   12 cover film-   13 adhesive-   14 front portion of (13)-   15, 16 side edges of (11)-   17 front edge of (11)-   21 gap-   27 front edge of (12)-   28 stack of (10)-   30 secondary packaging-   31 housing top part, housing-   32 shoulder area, in higher position-   33 front wall-   34 housing opening for (61) slit for (12) and (1)-   36, 37 bridges-   41 housing bottom part, housing-   42 fixing point-   45 slit for (11)-   46, 47 bridges-   49 partition line-   51 leaf spring-   52 pressure plate-   53 arm on (52)-   54 slit for (51)-   55 separating tool, blade-   56 cutting edge-   57 cutting flank-   58 back of blade-   61 transport element, transport roller-   62 axis of rotation

1. A device which stores and provides stacked film pockets filled withfilm-type or laminar materials, wherein, the stacked film pocketsconsist of at least one support film and at least one cover film, inwhich the at least one support film or at least one cover film which hasa greater surface area has two parallel side edges, wherein, thefilm-type or laminar material is enclosed in a gas-tight andmoisture-tight enclosure between the support film and the cover film, inwhich the support film has at least one edge lying transversely orobliquely with respect to a front edge of the support film and protrudesbeyond a front edge of the cover film, wherein, the device comprises ahousing which: (i) is partitioned at least once and the side edges ofthe stacked film pockets face a lateral interior of the housing, whilean edge of the support film protrudes beyond an edge of the cover filmand faces a front interior of the housing, (ii) has the stacked filmpockets pressed by spring-loading against an upper interior of thehousing, wherein a front, upper area of the housing has two slits forseparate ejection of an individual film pocket, the film-type or laminarmaterial being ejected with one of the individual film pocket of thestacked film pockets; a separating tool for separating support film andcover film is arranged between the slits and, wherein the separatingtool contacts at least the support film of the uppermost individual filmpocket prior to separation and above a front half of an uppermost filmpocket of the stacked film pockets, a transport element which contactsthe film pockets and which is rotatable about an axis of rotation and isat least transverse with respect to one of the two parallel side edgesof the at least one support film or at least one cover film which hasthe greater surface area and is arranged in a housing opening.
 2. Thedevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein, between the a lateral interior ofthe front edge of the support film and a nearest adhesion point orsealing point of the cover film, there is no adherence between thesupport film and the cover film.
 3. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the support film is adhesively bonded to the cover film.
 4. Thedevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front edge of the cover film hasa semi-elliptical contour.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe transport element is a cylindrical transport roller.
 6. The deviceas claimed in claim 5, wherein the transport roller has at least arubber-like coating.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedevice contains an upper slit, through which the cover film is ejected,and a lower slit wherein the upper slit is arranged between thetransport roller and the lower slit.
 8. The device as claimed in claim1, wherein the film-type or laminar material is a drug form containing apharmaceutical active substance.
 9. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein at least the film of greater surface area has two parallel sideedges in some sections.
 10. The device as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe separating tool for separating support film and cover film is ablade which is at an angle of about 30° to the surface of the uppermostfilm pocket and is flat on the surface of the uppermost support film.11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing has atrough-shaped bottom part and a top lid part, wherein the bottom partcontains the stacked film pockets, and the top lid part contains anupper slit, a lower slit and a transport roller.
 12. The device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the film-type or laminar material adheresmore strongly to the cover film than it does to the support film. 13.The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support film is adhesivelybonded to the cover film.
 14. The device as claimed in claim 13, whereinthe front edge of the cover film has a semi-elliptical contour.
 15. Thedevice as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transport element is acylindrical transport roller.
 16. The device as claimed in claim 15,wherein the device contains an upper slit, through which the cover filmis ejected, and a lower slit wherein the upper slit is arranged betweenthe transport roller and the lower slit.
 17. The device as claimed inclaim 16, wherein the individual film-type or laminar material is a drugform containing a pharmaceutical active substance.
 18. The device asclaimed in claim 17, wherein the separating tool for separating supportfilm and cover film is a blade which is at an angle of about 30° to thesurface of the uppermost film pocket and is flat on the surface of theuppermost support film.
 19. The device as claimed in claim 18, whereinthe housing has a trough-shaped bottom part and a top lid part, whereinthe bottom part contains the stacked film pockets, and the top lid partcontains an upper slit, a lower slit and a transport roller.
 20. Thedevice as claimed in claim 19, wherein the film-type or laminar materialadheres more strongly to the cover film than it does to the supportfilm.